Cornell Lacrosse Stuns Top Seed with Buzzer-Beater, Secures Dramatic NCAA Final Four Berth

Cornell Lacrosse Surges Into NCAA Championship Showdown With Maryland Streaking Big Red Make History Cornell men’s lacrosse has turned a dream season into a record-setting march, rattling off 17 straight victories—the longest streak in program history—to earn the No. 1 overall seed in the 2025 NCAA Division I Championship. The Big Red punched their Memorial Day ticket by outlasting Penn State 11-9 in Saturday’s semifinal at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough. Monday’s “Title Tilt” at Gillette Stadium Next up is a heavyweight clash with No. 2 Maryland on Monday, May 26, at noon ET. It’s a rematch of the 2022 final and Cornell’s ninth appearance in the national championship game. Offense in Overdrive First-year head coach Connor Buczek’s up-tempo offense leads the nation in goals (15.9), assists (10.7) and shooting percentage (.365), eclipsing school records for goals (286) and points (479). Despite being held scoreless in the semifinal, Tewaaraton finalist CJ Kirst still headlines a scoring corps that features freshmen phenoms Michael Long and Billy Coyle. Faceoff Factors & Defensive Backbone Maryland boasts the nation’s top faceoff unit, setting up a marquee X-axis duel with Cornell specialist Angelo Petrakis. On the defensive end, goalie Chayse Ierlan (58% save rate) anchors a unit allowing just 9.4 goals per game. Key Storylines Fans Are Searching For • Can Cornell capture its first NCAA crown since 1977? • Will Buczek become the youngest coach to win a men’s title? • How will the Big Red contain Maryland All-American attackman Daniel Maltz? • What role will the fast-break ride—responsible for 28 caused turnovers in the postseason—play on Monday? Viewing Information & Ticket Demand The championship will air live on ESPN2 and stream on ESPN+. Limited tickets remain through Ticketmaster; secondary-market prices have surged 35 percent since Cornell clinched, reflecting soaring demand around the Ivy League powerhouse. Why Cornell’s Rise Matters A win would cement Cornell as the first Ivy League school to claim the men’s lacrosse title in more than a decade, amplifying the conference’s national profile and reinforcing Ithaca’s reputation as a lacrosse hotbed. Search-Friendly Takeaway Cornell Big Red vs. Maryland Terrapins, Memorial Day 2025, NCAA men’s lacrosse championship—preview, stats, kickoff time and how to watch: everything fans need for the most-searched college lacrosse matchup of the year.